1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improvement in the process of preparing diacetoxybutene by a catalytic reaction of butadiene, acetic acid and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a palladium catalyst.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that diacetoxybutene may be produced by reacting butadiene, acetic acid and oxygen in the presence of a palladium catalyst, and various methods have been proposed for this reaction. However, it has been found that when the reaction runs for a substantial length of time, a sharp drop in the catalytic activity occurs, thereby making it impossible to maintain an industrially satisfactory reaction rate for a long period of time.